Improvement in the manufacture of steel



UNITED STATES CHARLES MOTIER ns, on YORK, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN THE MANUFACTURE OF STEEL.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No.127,635, dated June 4,1872.

To whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES Morrnn Nns, of York, in the county of York and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in the Manufacture of Steel, of which the following is a specification.

In Letters Patent of the United States No. 112,068, granted to me on the 21st day of February, 1871, I have described and claimed a new steel, made by incorporating with iron a certain ore which I term Oodorus ore, found in Heidelberg township, York county, Pennsylvania, and in other localities, of which the following may be taken as an analysis: 7

Silica, 40.80; metallic iron, 36.07; alumina, 8.65; magnesia, a trace; phosphorus, 0.22.

My invention relates to steel of the kind referred to; and it consists of a new mode of manufacturing the steel by immersing iron, whether wrought or cast, in a bath composed of this ore, either alone or of the ore in combination with other ingredients. I do not, of

- course, limit myself to the use of an ore having the precise analysis given; any ore possessing the general steel-making characteristics of the above referred to, may be employed.

I will proceed to describe-more particularly the. manner in which my invention is or may be carried into effect.

I take a charge of one-half rolling-mill cinder or silex, and the other half Oodorus or silicon steel ore, and put it into a common reverberatory or puddling-furnace, or any other suitable furnace, so as to have the basin or hearth, or receptacle which usually holds the melted iron, filled with the ore and cinder; or, if desired, the cinder may be omitted, and nothing but ore may be used; or other ingredients, with or without the cinder, may be mixed with the ore. It is only important that there should be such a proportion of the ore as will sufiice to'convert the iron put into the bath. The hearth, basin, or other receptacle is not filled so full as to overflow when theore is melted andthe iron immersed. When the ore and cinder are thoroughly melted and boiled together I then take common iron, either wrought or cast, and formed in any shape desired, drop it into this bath, and let it remain there until it comes to white heat. I then take it out, and, in case a hard steel is desired, I chill it in water; in case a softer metal is desired, the steel or siliconized iron, when taken out of the bath, should not be chilled in this way, but .the process should be more gradual.

By this process of immersion articles of wrought or cast iron, such as horseshoes, castiron axes, 850., can be converted into steel. In fact, theprocess is applicable to cast or wrought iron of any shape.

In case it is desired to convert iron railroad rails into steel, I build a furnace similar to a puddling-furnace, but having a fire-pot of sufficient length, breadth, and depth to re ceive, say, six or eight full length rails in addition to the bath of ore. ,At one end of the furnace is the hearth, and at the other end is the smoke-stack, under ,the usual arrangement. When the bath of melted ore is ready, place in it the rails and let them remain until they come to a white heat, then withdraw them and let them 0001. In this manner a steel rail of great strength will be obtained.

The ore above mentioned is also very effective as a flux to weld iron or steel, or indeed other metals, whether wrought or cast. I take the melted ore and pour it over the parts of the metal to be welded together, and

then the welding'operation may be proceeded with; or I can dip the parts into the liquid ore if necessary. In either case the welding will take place at once; or in lieu of melting the ore it may be eomminuted or pulverized, and used as blacksmiths use clay or borax. When thus used it produces a most perfect weld.

The process above described may be used in case-hardening machinery, gun-barrels, &c.

Having now described myinvention, I would state in conclusion that I do not limit myself to the use of any special apparatus herein described for the purpose of illustrating the manner in which the invention may be carried into efieet; nor to the use of any particular ingredient with the ore for forming the In testimonywhereof I have signed my name bath; but to this specification before two subscribing What I claim, and desire to secure by Letwitnesses.

ters Patent, is--- CHARLES MOTIER NES.

The process herein described 0f manufacturing steel by the immersion of iron, whether Witnesses:

wrought or cast, in a bath of melted ore, sub- JOHN V. STEWART,

st-antially such as specified, used either alone JOHN A. WILSON.

or in connection with other ingredients. 

